New Zealand lifestyle

Many people emigrate here for the New Zealand lifestyle. It really is possible to snowboard in the morning, go surfing in the afternoon and then finish of the day with a BBQ.

New Zealander's are obsessed with the great outdoors

The New Zealand lifestyle is special. Kiwi’s love sports and spending time outdoors. Tramping or Hiking is popular, as is camping. Fishing is an obsession with most Kiwi’s and going out in the boat to catch Snapper, Kingfish, Crayfish and Scallops is done at every opportunity.

New Zealand boasts world class trout fishing in pristine lakes and rivers. Hunting deer and pig is also popular. If you scuba dive then you will enjoy diving the Poor Knights in the far north of NZ. Jacques Cousteau regarded the Poor Knights as one of the finest dive sites in the world.

It will become obvious to you that New Zealander’s are much more in touch with the land and for many hunting and fishing is more than a pastime, it’s all part of the New Zealand lifestyle.

As for wildlife, the New Zealand lifestyle gives you good reason to be relaxed, because there are no dangerous animals, there are no snakes, no deadly spiders and shark attacks are extremely rare. Unlike Australia where you are at risk of serious injury or death from so many creatures including jellyfish stings or being eaten by a Great White Shark.

With nothing to fear in the sea or rainforest, New Zealand is a paradise. Is it any wonder the New Zealand lifestyle is so envied and probably why you’re considering emigrating to New Zealand.

Want a beach all to yourself? Then come to NZ

The beach is a huge part of the New Zealand lifestyle. You’re never very far from a beach in NZ, and Kiwi’s love to spend time on the beach. Even so if you’ve ever had a holiday in Spain or Greece, you will know that the beaches can become overcrowded. In New Zealand there are times when you can have a whole beach to yourself.

Boat ownership in NZ is amongst the highest in the world

The climate of New Zealand is considered to be complex because of its variation of temperature. In the North it can have subtropical temperature and in the South a quite cool temperature. It has also hard alpine conditions in the mountainous areas. The mountain chains that divide the west and east of New Zealand give each side a different climate. The North Island is less mountainous than the South Island and it is often said that you can experience the four seasons of the year in one day, but in general the country has a really pleasant temperature, adding to – you’ve guessed it, the wonderful New Zealand lifestyle.

Tramping at the Emerald Lakes, Tongariro

New Zealand has a population of approximately 4.3 million, of which roughly 78% identify with European ethnic groups. According to the 2006 census, indigenous Maori people are the biggest non-European ethnic group, accounting for 14.6% of the population. People of Asian ethnic groups account for 9.2% of the population, increasing from 6.6% in the 2001, while 6.9% of people are of Pacific Island origin.

New Zealand is a largely urban country, with 72% of the population living in 16 main urban areas and 53% living in the four largest cities of Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Hamilton.

New Zealanders have a very similar way of life and share values common to most Western countries but there are some special features of the New Zealand lifestyle. Kiwi’s are passionate about sport and have a firm belief in social equality. The social welfare system prevents extreme poverty, and New Zealand has neither a strong class system nor major social tensions.

The New Zealand lifestyle is characterised by the laid back attitude. Kiwi’s dislike formality and people see each other as ‘equals’. Neighbours and people in the workplace are normally on first-name terms. Kiwi people dislike stuffiness and needless formality, and this attitude is evident in the workplace. Most New Zealand companies are small, with between 5 and 10 employees. In this context, formality is unworkable and managers and business owners usually treat their staff as they would friends. Although relations are inevitably more structured in large organizations, informality and friendliness is still generally the rule. It does take time to get used to the New Zealand lifestyle, but you wouldn’t be considering emigrating if the New Zealand lifestyle didn’t appeal, would you?

So when you come to live here, get used to BBQ’s with your mates and everything else that makes the New Zealand lifestyle so special.